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Chicago: Emergency Action Needed on Foie Gras:
May 14, 2008

Farm Sanctuary has just learned that Chicago Alderman Thomas M. Tunney, in a surreptitious move to avoid public input, is planning on putting forth a proposal to repeal Chicago's foie gras ban TODAY, Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 10 a.m.!!

Alderman Tunney's first move will be to bypass a committee vote, thereby having the repeal go to the full floor for a vote. His second move will be to put forth the actual motion to repeal to foie gras ban, which — without massive public outcry — will likely succeed!

What you can do:

Please call your Chicago City Alderman right now and urge him or her to:

• Stand strong and vote NO on any repeal of the current foie gras ban.

• Ensure the proposal to repeal the ban is first considered in committee, for due diligence rather than as a surprise attempt to repeal a popular and humane ordinance.

Remember, time is of the utmost importance, as this action is expected to begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Please, as soon as you open this email, call your Alderman! This is our one and only chance to stop this terrible attack.

Look up the names and contact information for your Alderman here.

More information and facts on foie gras.

Talking Points to include in your call:

• Humane organizations, residents across the US and around the world are actively working to prevent the cruel force-feeding of birds to make foie gras. These efforts are supported by veterinarians, ethicists, religious, political, and business leaders, including restaurant chefs and farmers.

• More than 15 countries have banned the sale and or production of foie gras due to the cruel process of producing it. In addition the current Pope as well as Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck have taken a strong stand against the production of this diseased product.

• Unlike other food items, it is not possible to produce foie gras without engaging in animal cruelty and creating a pathological state in the animals. "Faux gras" alternatives are available. Of course, any accomplished chef can easily work from a vast array of foods to create gourmet delicacies without using foie gras.

• A Zogby poll conducted in September 2005 revealed 79 percent of likely voters in Illinois agree that foie gras production should be outlawed.

• There is nothing natural about forcing a large, inflexible tube down a bird's esophagus and pumping in enormous amounts of nutritionally incomplete gruel. Migratory birds may store extra fat for long journeys, but they would never self-induce liver disease or ten-fold expansion of this organ. If they did, they would not be able to lift off the ground, let alone fly, if their livers were expanded in this way.

Thank you for taking action today to help farm animals!